Dan Quinn is an energetic head coach with high standards. He's been a breath of fresh air across the Washington Commanders since getting the job. This began over early offseason workouts and continued throughout the first week of training camp to further raise anticipation about what could be ahead under his leadership.
There was an enormous sense of excitement in the air to begin Week 2 of camp. Players got the chance to wear pads for the first time this summer. Things got more intense, physical, and competitive. It was also a good chance for Quinn and his staff to evaluate where this group is and how much more work is ahead before their regular-season opener at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Quinn knows things are going to ramp up in the coming days. Players are fighting for jobs and looking to cement themselves as a part of this exciting new regime. Frictions arise and can sometimes boil over into more severe altercations. This is the tale at most training camps around the league, but it's an unnecessary problem the Commanders want to avoid.
Dan Quinn wants Commanders players to be disciplined as intensity increases
The former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator sent out a warning to his players. Quinn wants them to remain disciplined throughout. Otherwise, the consequences will be severe.
"We haven't had conversations about that, but we will. But, what I do know, the animosity and fighting is not going to be part of what we do. Championship teams figure it out, they don't have ways that, you know, get sideways in doing that. So, it won't be part of what we do. If you lose your poise, you know in a game, there's consequences. If you lose your poise at practice there will be consequences, but it's nothing I've had to address yet. I did it early in the OTAs to make sure it didn't get that way."
- Dan Quinn
Quinn is right. Losing control in a practice setting isn't going to bode well when the time for competitive games arrives. Keeping an even keel with the added fire attached to padded practices is the correct approach. The coaching staff isn't going to look favorably on those who take it to the next level.
There is enough experience in the locker room to ensure Quinn's warning doesn't go unnoticed. Yes, things will get chippy at times. It's on the players to harness this aggression effectively to not only bolster their chances of roster spots or high-end depth positions but also to improve the team's hopes along the way.
Fighting between themselves over camp achieves nothing in the grand scheme of things. It's been all calm on the western front in this regard so far, but joint practices will be another indicator of how much discipline resides within this new-look Commanders roster.
This is the time when the lines become blurred. Players are going up against genuine opposition rather than teammates and won't want to be embarrassed. When things aren't going their way or they feel slighted by a bad call, that's typically when the tipping point is reached.
Quinn's been around the block a few times, so he'll know how best to approach this. It's clear that he also trusts his players to self-police any unruly behavior to a certain extent. If they cross the boundary of acceptable conduct, he'll step in accordingly.
The expectations are clear. Play fast and be physical, but don't take it too far. Sounds simple enough, but one doesn't have to look far around the league for examples of what can happen when players get caught up in the moment.
